DAKUINUKU Village in Tailevu is working on adapting to the challenges of climate change.

Over the past two days, government officials from the National Disaster Management office conducted a simulation exercise on the village disaster plan at the Tailevu North village.

Sitting by the sea, most of the village land has been affected by the rising sea, making it unsuitable for planting.

Assistant district officer Vatia Vasuca said the village’s sea wall was damaged by waves and they had also seen the drying up of a small lake which they used to bathe.

“House posts have even been damaged by seawater which is now eating into the village and this exercise is to inform the people of what they could do to adapt to climate change,” Mr Vasuca said.

He said the villagers were taught about the measures to take to save themselves during natural disasters.

“They never had any plans on how to adapt to climate change and now with the assistance of the national disaster management plan that has been drawn up and they have been reprioritised in the climate change adaptation plan.”

Mr Vasuca said they would also make a proposal to the Climate Change Department of the Foreign Affairs Ministry to see if they could get assistance for the village in their adaptation and mitigation programs.